Navy Chaplain Refusing To Follow Orders Holds Hunger Strike

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Klingenschmitt is a Navy Chaplain at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia. He has been on a water only hunger strike since Dec. 20th in protest of military policy that forbids him to pray in Jesus’ name when in uniform in his official capacity leading a multi-denominational group. He is asking President Bush to sign an executive order that would allow him to pray in Jesus’ name while acting in this capacity.

The military’s policy is that while leading a service specifically for soldiers, sailors, or airmen of his own faith, a chaplain can pray in whatever manner that faith requires. But a chaplain has responsibilities that include ministering to servicemen and women of all faiths and even those with no religion. In this capacity, outside of his own faith’s services, chaplains are required to pray in more generic terms.

Lt. Klingenschmitt has been stripped of his uniform for not complying after being counseled about this by several senior officers from the Navy chaplains Corps and reminded of the Navy’s regulations. He has, however, decided to disobey orders and is now refusing to eat.

The “Covenant and The Code of Ethics for Chaplains of the Armed Forces” has this to say about chaplains responsibilities to service members of other faiths:

“I understand as a chaplain in the United States Armed Forces that I will function in a pluralistic environment with chaplains of other religious bodies to provide for ministry to all military personnel and their families entrusted to my care. I will seek to provide for pastoral care and ministry to persons of religious bodies other than my own within my area of responsibility with the same investment of myself as I give to members of my own religious body. I will work collegially with chaplains of religious bodies other than my own as together we seek to provide as full a ministry as possible to our people. I will respect the beliefs and traditions of my colleagues and those to whom I minister. When conducting services of worship that include persons of other than my religious body, I will draw upon those beliefs, principles, and practices that we have in common.”

Full text of the code of ethics for chaplains can be found at https://www.npdc.navy.mil/css/chaplain/?fa=dir.ethics

Lt. Klingenschmitt is in clear violation of the Covenant and The Code of Ethics for Chaplains of the Armed Forces and more importantly has disobeyed direct orders. As a commissioned officer this is unacceptable. All chaplains know going in that they will have to work in a multi-faith environment and minister to the needs of all servicemen regardless of their faith. If he can’t do this in good conscience he should resign his commission.

Note that he is, as all chaplains are, allowed to pray any way he wants while in worship services of his own denomination or while out of uniform. He just can’t pray in Jesus’ name while in uniform ministering to servicemen of mixed faiths. This policy also applies to Muslim chaplains praying in Allah’s name or Catholic chaplains praying to Mary. It does not single out Christian chaplains in any way.

In addition to being stripped of his uniform, Lt. Klingenschmitt should be stripped of his commission and discharged from the Navy. Any officer who disobeys direct orders should expect to have that coming. Going on a hunger strike is more akin to a child pitching a fit and holding his breath than to what a commissioned officer is supposed to provide; leadership.

Military men and women often give up some of their liberties to protect liberty for others. That should never mean giving up your principles or your integrity. But knowing when and in what manner it is appropriate to express your principles is key.

Lt. Klingenschmitt, in his zeal to promote his own faith, has neglected the commitment he made to minister to all sailors of all faiths. His refusal to follow orders and subsequent childish behavior makes him unworthy to wear the uniform of a sailor, let alone a commissioned officer.
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http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=4512

10 to 1 odds the guy turns coward and starts eating again. Any takers?
 
I'm not certain I would equate eating with cowardice, but that's irrelevant to the point that this man is trying to overstep his duties.
 
Myke, he was on hannity yesterday and said that religion was one of the few things he'd die for and, after beating around the bush, said he hoped it wouldn't go that far but would be willing to die for this. It sounded more like he felt like he had to say it but still, he said it.
 
Well, that point wasn't made on your first post. That certainly changes things.

I still don't think eating=cowardice. I'd rather the man come to terms with religious pluralism and live than stay narrow-minded and die.
 
Kind of torn on this one. On one hand you have a man who is choosing to stand up for what he believes in which is a nice change of pace. On the other hand he is disobeying a direct order which is a no-no. At least he walks the walk instead of simply being a mouthpiece I suppose.
 
[quote name='jmfell']Kind of torn on this one. On one hand you have a man who is choosing to stand up for what he believes in which is a nice change of pace. On the other hand he is disobeying a direct order which is a no-no. At least he walks the walk instead of simply being a mouthpiece I suppose.[/QUOTE]
Or, he chews the...oh, nevermind.
 
I don't see any controversy. If you can't do the job, don't be a chaplain. It's not like they changed the rules. It's like becoming a soldier and then saying you only want to fire a certain type of gun.
 
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